Pool-ball rack.



em 1 0 T 9 m 1 H 4 0 3 m E m N B m 2 D E T N E T A 7 P. M

1 Ku m NMm V J OL w L m Mu N T mm S m 2 9 8 nu N,

ZWJ F Haw L P mfg WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

No...'892,290. PATENTBD JUNE 30, 1908.

s. McGOVNEY. POOL BALL RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1907.

2 SHRINK-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY.

rut Molllls Pins: 50-. \usNlNarnN, o c

SAMUEL T. MQGOVNEY, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA.

POOL-BALL RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented June 30, 1908.

Application filed July 19, 1907. Serial No. 384,536.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. McGov- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pool-Ball Racks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accomanying drawings, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this s ecification.

This invention re ates t0 racks of the type that are used in pool rooms near pool tables on which games of ball ool are played, the racks being used for ho ding the balls that are used in playing the games, the invention having reference particularly to improvements in pool hall racks whereby the balls may be quickly removed from the racks precedilng the commencement of a game of ball 00 p The object of the invention is to provide a pool ball rack which may be emptied expeditiously so as to avoid loss of time, which in many cases is valuable to the pool room proprietor or to the players.

A further object is to provide a rack which while being adapted to permit the balls to be removed rapidly, may be relied on to prevent the balls from rolling out of the rack accidentally.

The invention comprises an improved pool ball rack having tilting shelves and novel means for the operation thereof so that one end of each shelf may be elevated to cause the balls to roll thereon by gravity. And the invention consists further in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and referred to inthe appended claims.

Referring to the drawin s Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pool bafi rack constructed substantially in accordance with the invention and shown in its normal position with fifteen pool balls distributed on the shelves thereof; Fig. ,2, an end elevation of the rack; Fig. 3, an elevation of the opposite end of the rack, being the rear end; Fig. 4, a fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line A A in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line B in Fig. 1 Fig. 6, a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line C in Fi 2 Fig. 7, a fragmentary horizontal sectiona view on the line D D in Fig. 1 looking upward; Fig. 8, a

fragmentary sectional view as on .the line C in Fi 2; Fig. 9, a fragmentary vertical sectionfl view as on the line C in Fig. 2, but with the difference that modifications in the devices for tilting the shelves are shown; Fig. 10, a perspective view of a modified form of connection which may be used for supporting the shelves at one end thereof; Fig. 11, a fragmentary detail view illustrating the manner of hanging a basket to the ball rack when removing the balls therefrom; Fig. 12, a perspective view of one of the supports for the movable ends of the shelves; and, Fig. 13, a fragmentary rear elevation of the rack showing the adjustable hanging devices thereof whereby the rack may be leveled.

Similar reference characters in the sev eral figures of the drawings designate like elements or features of construction.

In playing a game of 15-ball pool, a table having pockets is used and several players usually enter the game. When either player pockets one 01' more balls they are placed on one of the shelves of the ball rack, the shelves being numbered, and each player choosing a number by which he and his balls may be designated and identified, the object of each player being to obtain the greatest possible number of balls to win the 'ame. After the game is completed the ball s of each player are counted so as to determine the winner, and then the balls are usually gathered into a basket from the ball rack and placed in a bunch on the pool table in order to begin playing another game.

The improved ball rack comprises a suitable frame-work and shelves which preferably are composed of wood, the rack may be suitably ornamented and finished as may be desired, and small devices thereof may be composed of suitable metal. As preferably constructed the rack comprises a base board a, and ornamental apron 6 attached to the front of the base, a back 0 extending upward from the base a, a rear panel 0 extending downward from the rear part of the base a, a top d, a rail 6 below the rear of the top 61 against the rear side of the back 0, and rear and front ends f and g respectively. The front end 9 has a suitable number of circular openings h therein arranged one above another. The rear end has an equal number of openings 2' therein, there being as many openings as will correspond to the number of shelves desired. Below each opening h a pair of hinges and y" are secured to the inner side of the front end 9, and shelves k, m, m, of suitable number have each one end thereof connected to the hinges, there being a pair of hinges for each shelf, the end of each shelf being arranged at the bottom of an opening h, and the shelves extend approximately to the rear end f against the inner side of the back c, all the shelves normally being horizontal with the base a. The low-- ermost shelf is has a channel Z in the top thereof which is deeper and broader at one end than at the opposite end of the shelf, the deeper end being at the end f of the rack so that the channel normally is inclined to cause a ball, when placed on the shelf through the opening h, to roll rearward to the end f. The remaining shelves as m or m have like channels in their tops for like purposes, and in order to make the rack com act, to save s ace and also to prevent the alls from accid entally rolling out of the front of the rack, the shelves above the lowermost one, and the lowermost one if desired, preferably have each a channel it in the un der side thereof, each channel being deeper at the hinged end than at the movable end of the shelf so that the bottoms of the channels Z and n will be parallel one to the other. A guard 0 extends downwardly from the top d to assist in preventing dislodgement of the balls on the uppermost shelf m. A suitable number of brackets p areattached to the inner side of the end f and support the free ends of the shelves normally in horizontal positions, there being a bracket beneath each shelf. Each bracket has a pair of ears 9 in which a lever 1' is pivoted between its ends on a pivot 1*, one end of the lever extending under the adjacent end of a shelf for lifting it from the bracket, there being a lever for each shelf, and the opposite ends of the le vers extending through the openings 6 and having slotted ends. A connecting rod .9 is arranged externally against the rear end f preferably with its up er end in a uide t, and the connecting rori is connected y pins 8 to the outwardly extending ends of all the levers r. A fulcrum u is suitably mounted below the base a and an operatin lever 12 is connected by a pivot u to the fuIcrum, one end of the lever extending beyond the front end of the rack, and the other end of the lever extending beyond the rear end of the rack, and being connected by a ivot o to the connecting rod 8, the free en of the lever 0) normally extending downwardly so that if it be elevated the connecting rod .5 will descend and tilt the levers r so as to elevate the free ends of the shelves, as shown in Fig. 6. The weight of the shelves causes them to normally gravitate to the brackets p and by means of the levers 1- elevate the rod 8 and thereby hold the free end of the lever '12 in its normal position.

The rack is designed to be hung against a Wall or other support and should be pro erly leveled. Since it is difiicult to shift screw hooks or like devices after they have been driven into a wall, and since it is practically impossible to place such devices exactly where desired, the improved rack is provided with adjustable hangers whereby the rack may be leveled after the han ing devices have been secured to the wal or other support, and the hangers preferably comprise a base plate 'w or w, and a plate is secured to the rail 6 near each end thereof, each plate having a pivot a: at its upperend on which is mounted an eye-plate y or 1 provided each with a plurality of eyes as .2 and 2 arranged in semicircles concentrically to the pivot 90, so that there are different eyes spaced at different distances from the pivots in each eye-plate, and the eye-plates may be rotated on their pivots so as to select an eye suitably spaced-and insure correct level of the rack.

It is to be understood that other forms of adjustable hangers may be substituted if desired for those above described, so that the rack may be hung to the best advantage. The rear panel 0 preferably is provided with holes 14 and 15 to receive securing screws or nails for steadying the rack. The front end of the base a is preferably provided with hooks 16 on which a basket 17 may be hung as indicated in Fig. 11, after pushing up the lever 11, to receive the balls 18 from all the shelves at one time.

In lieu of the hinges 7' and j the forward ends of the shelves may be supported by angle-irons 19 composed of relatively thin spring steel and therefore capable'of performing the same functions as the hinges to the extent required, the movements of the shellves at their hinged ends being relatively litt e.

In lieu of the levers 1* for elevating the free ends of the shelves, an equal number of arms 20 may be attached to the connecting rod 8 as in Fig. 9, and extend through the openings 'L beneath and in engagement with the shelves as k, in which case the free forward end of the lever 12 will normally extend upwardly to be depressed for elevating the free ends of the shelves. The weight of the shelves and the rod 8 will hold the lever in its normal position.

In practical use when the balls are placed in the openings h they will quickly roll in the inclined channels to the rear ends of the shelves without liability to again roll out when left alone. When it is desired to remove the balls, the lever '12 will be operated and thereby the shelves will all be inclined, thus causing all the balls to immediately roll toward and out of the openings it.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A pool ball rack including a frame comprising a front end, an apertured rear end, a plurality of shelves connected at ends thereof to the front end of the frameand extending to the rear end thereof, a lever pivoted between its ends to the frame, a connecting rod connected to the lever and extending vertically at the outer side of the rear end, and lifting devices connected to the rod and extending through the apertures of the rear end to the under sides of the shelves, substantially as set forth.

2. A pool ball rack including a frame comprising an apertured front end, an apertured rear end having a plurality of brackets secured to the inner side thereof, a plurality of shelves connected at ends thereof to the front end beneath the apertures thereof and the opposite ends of the shelves resting removably on the brackets, a lever pivoted between its ends to the frame, a connecting rod connected to an end of the lever and extending adjacently to the outer side of the rear end of the frame, and lifting devices connected to the rod and extending through the apertures of the rear end of the frame to the under sides of the shelves, substantially as set forth.

3. A pool ball rack including a frame comprising an apertured front having a plurality of hinges secured to the inner side thereof beneath the apertures thereof, an apertured rear end having a plurality of brackets secured to the inner side thereof, a plurality of shelves connected at ends thereof to the hinges and having their opposite ends resting on the brackets, a lever pivoted between its ends to the frame, a connecting rod connected to an end of the lever and extending adjacently to the outer side of the rear end of the frame, and lifting devices connected to the rod and extending through the apertures of the rear end of the frame to the under sides of the shelves, substantially as set forth.

4. A pool ball rack including a frame comprising a front end, a plurality of hinges secured to the front end, an apertured rear end having a plurality of brackets secured to the inner side thereof, a plurality of tilting levers mounted on the rear end of the frame at the brackets and extending through the apertures of the end, a plurality of shelves connected at ends thereof to the hinges and their opposite ends resting removably on the brackets opposite to the tilting levers, a connecting rod at the outer side of the rear end and connected to the tilting levers, and an operating lever pivoted on the frame and connected to the rod.

5. A pool ball rack including a frame con prising a base, a back, and two apertured ends, with an apron attached to the base, one apertured end having hinges attached to the inner side thereof beneath the apertures therein, the other apertured end having brackets secured to the inner side thereof, grooved shelves connected to the hinges and normally engaging the brackets for support, a connecting rod mounted at the outer side of the rear end, lifting devices connected to the rod and extending through the apertures of the rear end of the frame to the under side of the shelves, and a lever pivoted under the base of the frame and connected to the rod.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL T. MOGOVNEY.

Witnesses:

WILEY BURNS, JosEPn D. HUNTER. 

